Genghis Grill Guests Lose More than 2,200 Pounds

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Genghis Grill, the largest build-your-own-stir-fry chain in the United States, announced the winner of the third annual Health Kwest: Steve Ellis of Albuquerque, New Mexico, who claimed the $10,000 first prize by losing 30 percent of his body weight.

This year, “Khantestants”dedicated themselves for 60 days to eating Genghis Grill's healthier meal options every day, for free and for a chance to win $10,000.

Khantestantsshared their journey online by completing social media tasks. The public also participated in each Khantestant’s journey, where they were able to see where Khantestants ranked.

Steve Ellis, a real estate agent in Albuquerque, won based on a percentage of weight lost and completed social media tasks.

Ellis walked eight miles a day, to and from his house to his Genghis Grill in Uptown Albuquerque.

He maintained a strict low-calorie diet with few starches and no sauces in his bowls. For 60 days straight, Ellis was the first customer upon opening.

“I loved eating at Genghis Grill every day,” he says. “One of the frustrating things about most diets is the food gets pretty mundane. Genghis Grill features 80 fresh ingredients and thousands of different options for your bowl, all fresh and healthy. I loved doing all of the daily social media tasks during Health Kwest.”

Sixty of the 100 Khantestants finished the Health Kwest. They lost a total of 2,217 pounds and averaged an impressive 5 percent weight loss as a group.

The campaign generated more than 900 blog and Twitter posts, 600 YouTube videos, and more than 400 Instagram photos. Genghis Grill also saw an increase in more than 5,000 likes on its Facebook Page, helping the brand reach its 100,000 fans milestone.

“We wanted to show that you can have a great restaurant experience while eating responsibly,” says Chiara Granado, social media/PR marketing manager of Genghis Grill. “Health Kwest was a campaign that encompassed social media and adopting a healthier lifestyle, so eating healthy while having that accountability was huge; it made the contest exciting.”